Colombia Alleges Ecuador Bombed Its Territory as Quito Denies Cross-Border Strike

Overview

• President Gustavo Petro said an Ecuadorian aircraft dropped a bomb on Colombian soil, posted an image of an unexploded device, and called for a thorough investigation while asking U.S. President Donald Trump to help prevent escalation.
• President Daniel Noboa rejected the accusation, saying Ecuador is striking criminal groups on its own territory and accusing Colombia of neglecting border security.
• Colombian demining teams disabled an unexploded 250-kilogram bomb near a rural home, with imagery and experts indicating a free-fall MK-type munition, and a local resident dated the incident to March 3.
• Colombia’s defense minister deployed troops to the area and urged residents to stay clear of the site where the device fell.
• The clash of narratives comes as Ecuador carries out a two-week, U.S.-supported anti-narcotics campaign with curfews, against a backdrop of a recent tariff dispute and a 600-kilometer border that channels much of the region’s cocaine trade.